


Flamingo Tour

by BurntPopkorn



Series: The Lonesome Sage [1]
Category: Bayonetta (Video Games)
Genre: BDSM, BDSM Scene, F/M, Fucking, Making Love, Passionate Sex, Platonic BDSM, Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:02:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29423505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BurntPopkorn/pseuds/BurntPopkorn
Summary: Canon (but not actual canon) to my Bayonetta fanfic, "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore."Bayonetta upholds her promise to visit Sigurd after their first time meeting in Naotun.
Relationships: Bayonetta (Bayonetta)/Original Male Character(s), Cereza (Bayonetta)/Original Male Character(s)
Series: The Lonesome Sage [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2161479
Kudos: 2





	Flamingo Tour

And just like that, the meeting finally ended. Another day full of corporate spiel about our investors and government officials wanting to throw a fundraising event to increase public awareness about carbon emissions. Yadda yadda yadda. Normally, I'm all ears to participate in such talks, but after receiving a text earlier from a special friend, I was ready to spend the rest of the day showing her around the city.

<< 12:45 >>

**_RING RING_ **

_Why if it isn't my little Flamingo. Are you busy today?"_

_"Ah, Alice calling me from Wonderland. How have you been?"_

_"I'm no longer there. Alice needed a break. I'm in New Hverghelmir and figured why not redeem that Flamingo Tour I was promised?"_

_"Aahhhhh~~in that case, welcome to New Hvergelmir: the City of Rebirth. I'm in a meeting, so I have to make this call quick."_

_"Where should I go then before our little date?"_ I was convinced her emphasis on "date" was meant to be sarcastic.

_"Downtown usually. If you're at the airport, then you're about 8 minutes outside of downtown."_

I then heard her mutter something about an Enzo never should have made a turn. 

" _All I see around me is the beach_."

" _THE BEACH!?!!?!?!"_ I caught myself shouting into the phone in the bathroom of the board room. " _The beach is 3 hours away from the city_."

" _Three hours? Thanks for telling me this now!_ "

" _Huh?? What do you mean? I didn't know you were gonna skydive randomly here._ "

A groan came across the other end of the receiver. " _Make sure to be on your way to find me when I arrive."_ ** _CLICK._**

<< Now - 16:15 >>

"Meeting adjourned, ladies and gentlemen. Enjoy your weekend." After the meeting finally closed, I bolted out of the office building and pulled out my phone to see a missed text.

>> _Meet me at the coffee shop._

 _Umm...which coffee shop? There's about 8 different coffee shops in the area._ <<

>> _The one named "Besame Mocha."_

That's only two blocks down from work. 

_I'll be there promptly._ <<

After crossing two traffic lights, I made it over across the way to the more quieter side of the city. A bunch of doctor offices, library, and an academy within the same vicinity as "Besame Mocha." I see the quaint, but pristine coffee shop approach my line of sight, a few customers already walking through the glass door with steel as reinforcement for a modern design. I made sure to brush the jacket of my grey plaid suit and checked to make sure the collar of my black dress shirt was folded over. As I walked in, the bell at the top of the door chimed, signifying another customer to whoever was in charge keeping track. My entrance was greeted with a "Welcome to 'Besame Mocha' where every cup of coffee is a steaming hot kiss of delight." A little too....intimate of a greeting for my tastes, but fitting for their brand, I guess. I scoped the dining area to find the ubiquitous Umbra Witch, but I didn't see her. Although suddenly, a slither that began at the top of my chest and made its way down to my thigh made me slightly jump.

"My...the flamingo is a black swan today? I quite like it." 

My eyes steered to the left to see the witch less than an inch from my face. Two can play that game. I stepped back, grabbing her waist, and pulled her gently into my chest, our noses brushing one another in the collision, "Even flamingos sometimes dress to impress. And from the sound of it, I succeeeded in doing so."

I faked a lean in kiss before twirling on my heel and finding a spot to sit. I could never resist a window table. I looked back to see the witch staring at me with that set smirk on her face. I swear, she's quite the unreadable person. 

"We meet again at yet another coffee shop," she sits across from me.

"Indeed."

"And to think this time, I actually do want your company. You haven't been lonely without me, have you?"

I chuckle. "You should be a comedienne," my eyes soften the more they looked at her. I cleared my throat before I answered with "Maybe."

"O? I'm making my way into a Flamingo's heart? If you treat me right today, who knows? Maybe tonight you'll get a 'treat' from me." The implication of what that treat could be did fluster me more than I expected. A small pout did settle across my face. I don't know why I allowed myself to succumb to such small pressure. Unbeknownst to me, the witch was still staring at me, and I think she enjoyed seeing my usual composure broken. "Whats with the cute pout? Did you want your treat now? In public? What a cheeky boy."

I rose from my chair and walked to the door, "Let's go." I waited for her as she strolled towards the entrance, hips swaying from one side to the other. Before opening the door, I asked, "So what all are you expecting from this tour?"

"Nothing really. Just make sure it ends at a shopping district. And keep it to less than 20 minutes."

"It takes 50 minutes alone to show you whats all inside the city, let alone good places on the outskirts."

"20. Good luck."

All I could do is groan. I pushed the door open, stepping to the side, "Ladies first." After she strutted through the door, I directed her to follow me to the city parking lot. Since I had less than 20 minutes at this point, might as well use the car. As we entered inside, Thursday Man spotted me. He was a loud but good-hearted fellow who would greet me and engage in small talk from to time on my commute. Quite the funny American too.

"Ser Sigurd!" To this day, he refuses to stop greeting me like that.

"Thursday Man! Hope the tolls arent stressing you this early in the morning."

"How was the mee-" His eyes laid upon the extra person standing next to me. His words stumbled.

"Ser? I didnt know I was amongst the presence of such royalty."

I turned towards Bayonetta. "You never stop instigating, do you?"

"Ser Sigurd is more than just royalty," suddenly Thursday Man started doing elegant poses. "He's grace. He's class. He's beau-"

"He's trying to get to his car," I interrupted.

"Aren't you gonna introduce me to your uhhh," his eyebrows wiggled ever so passionately, "lady friend?"

I was at a lost for words seeing Thursday Man behave like this. "Bayonetta, Thursday Man. Thursday Man, Bayonetta."

He ran his hand through his hair like those beefed, dreamy guys in the deodorant commercials, "You can call me Arnold. Nice to meet you, Lady Bayonetta."

"Lady Bayonetta. I love the sound of it. You're quite the gentleman, Arnold. Perhaps, you should be giving me a tour around the city."

"Please. Get her out of my hair," I spoke. 

She shot me a glare. "Trying to get rid of me so easily?"

"I have to say Ser Sigurd, I'm impressed. I'll get out of you two's hair. Enjoy the rest of your day," he ended his good wishes with a point and wink at me. 

When we finally got inside my car, I stuck the key in the ignition, and from there, our little tour began. I showed her the usual landmarks like the city park, museums for various topics from dinosaurs to musicians to history and science, the list goes on. As I explained each landmark, her face seemed to grow bored by the second. No response, no reactions. No teasing. Her eyes just roamed across each street we drove past. Way to go, Sigurd. To be frank, it is rather difficult trying to impress a woman who travels around the world and has enough riches to buy anything her eyes land upon. The more I kept explaining, the more I felt I should shut the fuck up. It's time to go to the shopping district to save face. 

"And trip over. To the souvenir shop," I unbuckled my seatbelt. "Past those barriers in front of us is the shopping district."

"O?" was the first response I heard from her within the past 18 minutes as she got out of the car. "Now you're talking my lingo."

I didn't realize until it was too late, but as I was putting coin after coin in the parking meter to prevent an unpleasant tow scene, the witch had already disappeared from my line of sight. As I busted a quick jog to the entrance, the big milelong alleyway of shops galore within every nook and cranny was brimming with people of many different backgrounds. Some of them speaking broken English, but being made at home by the friendly shopkeepers, some natives haggling for lower prices, kids running in between groups of adults with mischievous smiles on their faces, and people interested in seeing just how much can they explore this growing Mecca of fashion by walking along the path. My eyes scanned the crowd and picked up on someone with black hair entering a dress shop. After shoving through what seemed like herds upon herds of cattle, I finally made it to the entrance of the shop. Upon inspecting the shop's sign, it was a tailor shop. I stepped in and the scent of baked cinnamon filled the air.

"Welcome, handsome!" An elder lady shuffled towards me from behind the counter, her pearls clacking with each step. "How can I help you today?"

"I'm looking for a woman this tall," I held my hand perpendicular to my arm to show right to my neck, "black hair, glasses. Looks a little...out of place with reality, if you know what I mean."

"Ah. She's over in the women's section trying on a few products. Why don't I assist you with finding a new shirt?"

"No than-"

"Such strong muscles. Are you an athlete handsome?" She enjoyed squeezing my bicep a little too much.

"N-no," I inched away, hoping to get closer to the women's area and farther from this touchy lady. After sliding by a couple of displays, I spotted a few workers holding dresses, shoe boxes, jewelry, and various other accessories outside the dressing rooms. They were all male workers, staring intensely at the witch from when she emerged from the dressing room to when she walked back to the dressing room. And seeing her walk back is what garnered the most expressive faces. As I observed the loads of items these workers were endlessly gathering with every reappearance, the clicking of heels drew my attention towards them, seeing Bayonetta emerge from the door wearing an orange short dress and silver heels that tied to her knees. She checked herself out in front of the giant mirror before eventually spotting me through the mirror. 

"What do you think?" She asked, making eye contact with my reflection. She turned side to side, showing off the outfit.

I wasn't thinking much of the outfit as I stood across from the workers. I was just waiting to leave. I scanned her up and down. "Uuhhh...I wasn't expecting to be a consultant."

"Well you are now. Do you like orange?"

"It's a pleasant color to look at around autumn and summer?"

"Ugh." She strutted back to the dressing room, and for the next 30 minutes she kept switching outfits. Regardless of what I thought about the outfit, it practically didn't matter as she would discard the outfit or decide to buy it, depending on her response. I waited another while before she came back. Suddenly, she poked her head from the door.

"Can you help me?"

The request threw me off. It apparently threw the workers off too because their loving stares turned into disgusted glares towards me. I walked past the disgruntled workers and right as I neared the door, I shot a glance at them, which to them I guess was scary enough for them to straighten their posture. Suddenly, the sleeve of my jacket was pulled, making me stumble with full force into the room and catching my balance with a palm to the wall. For a dressing room, it was spacious and matched the luxurious design of the rest of the store. The room also had a sweet, floral aroma lingering around which matched the scent I caught from the witch when she liked to invade my personal space. Only this time, it was concentrated into this dressing room, so the smell was more prominent. Such a delightful smell that got pleasant the more and more you took it in. No wonder the witch has a hypnotic aura to her. Speaking of which, I drew my eyes to her, curious about my involvement here. In front of the both of us was another mirror that took up the entire wall. I saw her facing me in the reflection, one of her arms holding her chest in place and poked her back towards me. 

"The zipper," She pointed out, breaking my concentration.

My eyes traveled down to see where the exposed part of her body ended and well...her entire backside was exposed.

"Umm....the zipper starts right at your backside..." I meekly revealed.

"Why thank you for informing me, Captain Obvious. Zip it for me. You're not scared, are you?"

I ignored her last statement and proceeded to align the zipper and pull it across the teeth. I pulled it up slowly until the top of the zipper revealed the V-shaped cut on the back of the dress ends right on the lower back area. Right above her backside. She fawned over the dress in the mirror, twisting her body side to side to check her frame, small "Oo's" escaping her mouth to express her satisfaction. I looked in the mirror to see the full dress she was wearing. A sleeveless black dress with large slits, exposing her sides. The back of the dress had a V-shaped cut that ended right above her lower back. It ended at her ankles, exposing a pair of black heels. It looked quite nice on her, and once she walked out of the room, that opinion seemed to be validated by the male workers whose eyes looked as if they were going to pop out of their sockets. My thoughts got stranded in the middle of observing how amazing she looked in the dress that it didn't click until now she was talking to me. 

"You like what you see?"

"You look....quite lovely."

A devilish grin overtook her face. "Smitten, my little flamingo?"

As much as I wanted to tell her no to pest her, there would have been no use, considering my hesitation gave my true feelings away. "More than I thought I would be. More than I would like to admit, actually."

"Well then...." her eyes soften. I don't think she expected for me to answer that honestly either. "Looks like I have my outfit for tonight."

"Planning to meet some more friends here?"

"No. For our dinner tonight."

That took me by surprised. "Excuse me?"

"What? The sun is setting, and we're already on an outing," she walked up to me, placing hand on my chest. "My treat. For the tour."

I checked my watch to see the time. 18:49. I hadn't eaten anything since the lunch provided at the work meeting. Why not. "If I say no, you would drag me along unconsciously."

"You catch on quick," she began her signature strutted. She abruptly stopped, turned to the workers who were still holding hordes of products in their grasp, and stated, "Ring all of that up for me."

The workers were confused to see a woman casually strut away as if she didn't ask them to process about 6000 euros worth of clothing. Can't say I blame them for their reactions either. As Bayonetta was in the process of paying for her clothes, I waited by the door, ready to depart, though I can't shake the feeling that she's going to make me carry her bags of clothes. Behind me, the door bell rings for a group of young ladies enter inside the establishment, all dressed quite spiffy.

"My apologies, ladies." I moved out of their way. I grew concern seeing them all stare at me with a daze in their eyes. "Did I offend anyone?"

"Why are you so hot!" One woman yelled at me.

"Are you single?"

"Hey, you guys are invading his space."

The women started bickering amongst each other....about me. I could do nothing but stand there in embarrassment. Suddenly, bags upon bags are shoved into my chest. My eyes peer over to see the culprit staring back up at me. "Be a doll and carry this for me."

I dropped the bags on the floor, right in between the both of our feet and gathering the attention of all the workers in the shop. Bayonetta stared at me, stumped. "Carry this for me....?"

"Carry this for me and you won't get on my bad side."

I took a few steps toward the door before looking back at her, "Carry this for me and you won't get on my bad side....."

She rolled her eyes before answering, "Please?"

"Such a marvelous woman you are," I returned to pick up the bags and carry them for her. As we exited, I used my leg to hold the door open. "Ladies first."

"Ugh, he's such a gentleman! You can't find guys like that nowadays!" One of the women from earlier yelled.

"That woman is so unappreciative of him. She doesn't deserve him."

"I take great offense that you guys are talking about MY future husband in this manner!"

Annnnnnnnd back to bickering they went. I hastily went outside to get away. Remind me to not go back to that shop again.

"Didn't know you have fans. And here I thought I get treated like a celebrity. Know where any good restaurants are?"

"Yes. There are a collective of high class restaurants towards the end of the district. As much as I would like to warn you of possibly breaking your pockets, something tells me you'll be fine."

"Lead the way, Flamingo."

"Actually, you go find the restaurant. Meanwhile," I grabbed the rest of the mountain of bags in Bayonetta's hands with the loose finger grips that I had left. "I'll take all of this back to the car."

"My, your fans were right. You are quite the gentleman."

Calling my walk to the car an adventure would be an understatement. It was a fucking trial. Barely able to see ahead of me, bumping into multiple people, walking sideways to avoid dropping a bag. When I got to the car, I dropped one hand full of bags to retrieve my keys and opened the door. 

"All these bags.....buying the entire store....who am I, her underpaid lackey...." I grumbled. At least my hands were free, and it was back to shoving past more and more crowds of people as evening began to settle and more people were entering the district. Right as I made towards the end of the district, the side of my torso began to pain. Busting out a quick stretch, less than desirable sounds of comfort did escape my mouth.

"Haha, you look stressed out, young man," it was an older man standing outside of his barber shop.

"Not necessarily. At this point, I'm ready to go home and settle down."

"Ah, busy day?"

"Indeed..." I admitted, reminiscing over the entire day from the meeting to Bayonetta arriving to those damn bags. A smile did make itself a guest on my face at the thought of Bayonetta. "It's been amusing."

"Who's the lady?" The question caught me off guard and my reaction appeared to catch his entertainment. He continued, "The old Hvergelmiran saying has never been proven false: ' _A man who smiles at the end of a chaotic day has a woman who owns his happiness_.'"

"That's an awfully convenient saying," I had a hard time believing such a saying. Or rather, how accurate that idiom is right now. "But she's a remarkable woman from my hometown. One of a kind, for sure."

"Sounds like a keeper."

I agreed. Since she did want to have dinner with me...I pulled out 30 euros. "Trim down the sides for me and take a little off the top before combing it over, please."

The man took my money with an understanding smile. "Let's wow her, kid."

Stepping into his shop, I took off my suit jacket and dress shirt to reveal my tank top and to keep my suit from getting hair all over it. After draping the cape over me, the man went straight to work with my request expeditiously. After he got my hair cut in the manner I asked, he directed me to the washing area, shampoo'd my hair, and blow dried it back to normal within 20 minutes. From there, he grabbed some gel from his station and began running it through my hair before using his hands to fold my hair on top over. As he was styling, my phone vibrated in my pocket. It was a text from my boss.

>> _Evening, Sigurd. I know it's short notice, please don't kill me. But there's a document that needs to be read by tomorrow._

_Is this another one of your odd office pranks? <<_

_> >Unfortunately, it is not. Apparently, the mayor wants to make sure everyone is on the same page about the new environmental bill he wants to institute to get the National Platinum Park an upgrade._

Damn it. Just what I need. Work to swoop in and ruin the day.

_How long is the document? <<_

_> >...Again, don't kill me. None of are sure until it gets sent to us._

_Chef!! you want me to read this in less than 16 hours and be prepared to discuss it? <<_

_> >I know. I know. 😞_

_> >They're hellbent on getting this park finished to start implementing Phase 3 of their tourism initiative. Gotta talk to the board director. I'll email the document to you shortly._

"And finished!" The barber unclasped the cape and grabbed a towel to wipe the prickly orange hairs off my neck and shoulders. Putting on my dress shirt and suit jacket, he held a mirror to my face to reveal my haircut. It was perfect, including my locks waving upward with the ends curled. I walked over to the barber and pulled an extra 10 euros to hand to him. "I insist. Job well done. The hair looks amazing."

He lifted his hat and tipped his head at me with reverence before taking my tip. "Please, don't be a stranger here! You enjoy your night with the lovely lady."

I have to say, if I thought the women from earlier were peculiar for fighting over me, this evening got even more hectic after stepping out of the shop. Some people thought I was a Hvergelmiran celebrity, others thought I was a supermodel. Every time I took a step, someone was looking at me, and it was usually women. Never have I ever felt like a piece of wagyu beef until now. When I made it to Dasessen Street, the unwanted attention did not slow down. This wasn't good, considering I never did get the name of the restaurant she decided to pick. I walked past a few of the restaurants before a voice behind me spoke.

"There you are. Where have you...." Bayonetta's words trailed off after I turned around to spot her.

"I decided to stop and get a quick trim," I walked towards her, noticing she was still wearing the black dress from earlier except she grew her hair out. It was long and straight, much emphasis on long. My eyes trailed down the length of it to see just where it stop and her hair reached down to her ankles. It had been hundreds of years since meeting a woman who gained my interest. But Bayonetta was the first woman I've ever felt a crave for. I couldn't let her know that. "But I see Rapunzel has let down her long hair."

"And I see that brushed mop top of yours has been cleaned up," She punctuated with a smirk, yet again, the smirk soften before she continued, "A nice looking prince." She then wrapped her arms around one of mine, "Where are we eating, Prince Flamingo?"

That was hard to decide, considering most of these restaurants a small blue sign as an indicator . We strolled past restaurant after restaurant until I spotted a place called "Sera." It didn't have a blue sign, so might as well try our luck here. As we walked in, we were greeted by the host and taken to a table in the middle of the dining room. I grabbed one of the chairs, holding it open while Bayonetta walked towards the opposite chair. I called out towards her, "Actually, I was holding this out for you."

"O? What a gentleman." She moved towards me, sitting down in the seat I had pulled out for her while I took the other vacant chair. And now was when I was starting to panic on the fucking inside. Despite me living these past 500 years as a "desirable" bachelor, the truth is, I haven't actually tried to pursue a real relationship with someone after Frieda. There were some flirting, a hell of an abundance of dates, and some regrettable one night stands. But rarely have I had a woman who stimulates me. Sex is fine, but it's not the end all, be all. I wanted more than sex. I want comfort.

"Taking me out on a date, aren't you?" She grabbed the menu off the table.

"That depends on if you hope it is one."

She lowered the menu. "What if I say yes?"

"Then," I grabbed one of her hands, kissed the back of it, and returned it to her side before finishing with "let's have a great date."

Shortly after, a waiter came to our table with our first orders and a bottle of Masseto Toscana. As we both ate our first course, it was unusually quiet. Normally, Bayonetta would be teasing me or something about me right about now, but she looked to be enjoying the peace and silence. It reminded me of when I first stopped killing demons. A small moment of not being concerned about pacts or getting attacked. Speaking of demons and angels, I break the air. "I surmise this is a much needed break from killing angels?"

"They're like ants. You kill one and three more appear. Ugh," she took a sip of her wine before placing her eyes back on me. "As fun as it is killing the buggers, sometimes it's nice to have a day or two not spent catering to my whiny Infernal partners. I can pamper myself, go shopping, relax at a spa," she winked at me before continuing, "Or enjoy the company of an attractive man."

"Are you complimenting me?"

"You? I don't think flamingos are human," she smirked. Of course. My hand was suddenly stroked by one of hers. "But you are a marvelous flamingo who happens to look like an attractive man."

"Why thank you," I took the teasing compliment. "I hope you had a great time even if the flamingo tour was....stale."

She shot me a confused look. "What was wrong with the tour?"

Now I was confused. "I thought you didn't enjoy it. You weren't really...showing much enthusiasm during it."

"Because I was listening to you. Were you expecting me to clap to everything like a sea lion?" She got me there. She leaned in, squeezing my wrist this time, "I liked the tour. Don't mistake me not showing you attention with not having my attention. Besides, I prefer to show my attention within more intimate settings...like now." After her statement, the waiter came out with our second course, and we dined upon it shortly after its arrival, limiting talk to mainly commentating on how delectable the food was, and when dessert was brought out was when the questions ramped back up. She asked, "Now...for someone whose looks are more suited for modeling, why a lawyer?"

My shoulders shrugged. "It gives me order. As boring as it sounds, I find peace in structure, especially if its of my own autonomy."

"You weren't lying. That is a bore. I don't quite understand how you find free will in a rigid occupation. The stress, the deadlines. Free will lies in navigating through chaos."

I've never heard someone express glee in enjoying chaos. "Chaos and instability go hand in hand. And I've not the best experience in dealing with it."

"Bad experience? Or no experience?"

"Bad."

"If you want me to stick around, you'll have to learn to love it," she took a bite of her apple meringue. "Perhaps my chaos will keep you company from time to time."

"I'm unsure if I would like that. You can stay of course. Leave the chaos at the door. Besides, I'm sure there's a risk involved with being an Umbra Witch. Don't you ever think of the possibility of meeting your doom?"

Her eyes hardened. "I try not to think of such fallacies."

"You speak with confidence. But knowing you, I'm sure facing chaos day to day becomes a chore. You don't have any activities other than shopping?"

"Well...my other activity falls in line with what I do to the holy insects," I continued staring, waiting to hear the reveal. "I'm a nun."

An Umbra Witch whose occupation was a nun...was like hearing a cat bark. "You truly are a remarkable woman."

"Speaking of company," she paused, taking another bite. "I don't know if I can quite believe a squeaky clean bachelor with a high paying job hasn't found a girlfriend or two."

"Just haven't found a woman who has that spark."

"Does that spark happen to be chaos?" She smirked. 

I took one last bite, finishing my meringue before answering her, "Not necessarily. But, your unpredictability is quite...refreshing to me. Makes me think on my toes. Keep doing that."

All of a sudden, my phone vibrated. I pulled it out to see an email notification from the chief. Great. 

"Is that a message from a secret admirer?"

I ignored her banter, pressing on the notification to see a document was attached to the email. Great, it was the document regarding the safety protocols and potential code violations for the Platinum National Park the city wanted to build at the front of the Yggdrasil Forest. I clicked on the file, curious to see how long this document was to be met with a gracious "1/462" displayed on the first page. 

"What the fuck...."

"Everything okay?"

My eyes steadied on my phone. "Yeah....but my sleep for the night won't be. Looks like I'll be spending the rest of my night practically reading a book for work."

"My. Sounds...chaotic."

"Ha. ha." My dry laugh was amused. I checked the time on my phone. It was 21:04. Shit. "Unfortunately, the Flamingo tour is officially going to have to end." I got up from my table, grabbing my suit jacket and sliding it on before pulling Bayonetta's chair out to assist her. As we walked towards the front, I pulled out my wallet to pay the host for our dinner. Goodbye 440 euros. Taking the route back towards the shopping district to get to my car, the neon signs and bright lights were asleep like the patrons who roam this strip. There were few passersby who were also hurrying home to turn in for the night. Right as we finally made it to the car, a dark shadow suddenly stepped in front of Bayonetta and I.

"Empty the wallet. If you want to live to see another day," a young male voice who was about two heads taller than me threatened with a knife pointed to the neck.

"I got th-" I hover my arm to stop Bayonetta. 

"What if I don't want to live another day?" I asked, pressing the knife against my neck and walked forward, making eye contact with the frightened man, who began to walk backwards. "What if today was the day I had finally decided I had enough? What if I press down even further on this knife, puncturing my jugular?"

His teeth gritted in frustration. "Just give me all the fucking money you got man, and you won't get hurt."

I continued to walk. "I don't care about hurting myself. But you sure sound like you're concerned with not getting a murder charge," despite me growing rusty each passing year, I could still predict this man's movements. I forcefully grabbed his wrist, a yelp escaping him, and pull it towards my neck even more, the tip of the switchblade touching my skin. "Come on. Be a murderer. Live out your best dream."

He wrestled his wrist from my grasp, backing away even more. "Forget it, you fucking weirdo. Keep your damn money!" He ran off into the distance. I turned towards Bayonetta who stared at me with the most confused look I'd ever seen on her face. "Sometimes I have my chaotic moments."

"I see. It's like rolling a die with you, Flamingo. I never know what to expect until the moment arrives."

I walked towards the driver's side, opening the door. "It was fun spending this outing with you, Bayonetta. What hotel are you staying at? I'd be more than happy to provide you with a ride there."

Her eye contact started fidgeting in multiple directions, as if she was searching for a polite phrasing for what she was about to say next. "See, that's just....umm, the thing. Funny story, I ummm...."

"......Have nowhere to go?" I finished for her. I smirked, "Sounds like someone's priorities....weren't in order." She shot me a glare before her gaze soften at me more and more, her lips slightly pouting. Like a cute dog. I sighed, knowing she wasn't going to take no for an answer. "Fine. You can come home with me."

"My, the Flamingo Hotel has its grand opening today?"

"Yes, and it ends tomorrow."

After we both got in the car, we made small chatter here and there. We both share a bit more info about our pasts. She delved more into her mother and I delved more into telling her my relationship with my parents weren't the best. I didn't particularly have an attachment to either one of them. As far as mentioning Gunnar, I haven't seen him in 500 years. Haven't heard any information, so as far as I know, he's as good as dead. No need to bring him up. When we arrive to my loft, I checked the time on my phone; 21: 58. Time hated me more and more since we got stuff in traffic for 30 minutes. And now that she was here to spend the night, I can't use Light Speed to freeze time like I normally do if I'm under a very tight deadline. As I opened the door to the loft, she merrily strolled in as if she was the one paying rent here.

"Hey, don't forget about your mountain of bags in my car."

She turned on her heels, hands on hips. "But....I thought this hotel had maid service?"

"And I think you're getting a bit cuckoo with each passing minute. Watch the door at least," I walked back and forth between the front steps of the door and the car to grab the hordes of shopping bags she seemed to forgot about. Again, what a remarkable woman. As I walked inside and flipped on the light switch, her eyes scanned the place, from the kitchen to the living room area, and she made her way up the stairs for a few minutes before walking back down them. 

"My, my...here I was expecting a pig pen, but it's quite nice. And contemporary. You never cease to impress. Again, you expect me to believe you've never had a partner?"

I folded my arms, "Shall I give you a prize for being the first woman to make it to my loft?"

She sat in one of the barstools. Her eyes drifted from my face down to my legs as she asked, "Can this prize be touched?"

I took my suit jacket and tossed it on the couch before unbuttoning my dress shirt. I heard an "Oou" as I did it. Here she goes. I turned my head to catch her making herself a drink at my home bar. I pointed towards the first hallway past the TV in front of the couch and coffee table where my work laptop was set up. "If you would like to, the bathroom is at the end of the hall. Take a shower, bath. Whatever you feel like doing. To the left and right are closets, so if you want a shirt or something to wear for the time being, be my guest." 

She drank all of what looked to be whiskey in one of my glasses before standing up and responding with, "This hotel has such wonderful accommodations" as she walked down the hallway I pointed.

I sat down on the couch to power on my work laptop stationed at the coffee table. As it booted, I grabbed the remote control, turning the TV on, the volume on low, to keep me company. As my programs and homepage loaded, I accessed my email to pull up the document. Again, 462 bloody fucking pages to read before 06:00. I took my shoes and dress shirt to get more comfortable before I dived into these pages. Fortunately, there were a decent amount of diagrams and displays pinpointing certain designations and area mark offs for the park. But when there were reading sections, it was a drag to read. I looked at the time on my laptop. 22:20. 58 pages down. Still 400 more to go. As I carried on with reading the document, the witch's presence became an afterthought the more I concentrated. 

"Steaming hot shower with provided towels? I say, this hotel is 4-star worthy," I hear the witch make herself known. I looked up to witness her wearing the flamingo shirt that came as a set with the infamous flamingo shorts, hair damp from being freshly washed, and her porcelain skin glissening underneath the lights, dewy from the hot shower she seemed to enjoyed. 

"Glad to see you're wearing the company's merchandise," I quipped, returning my attention back to my laptop to begin reading page 102. 

The seat of the couch to my left made a soft thump as Bayonetta made herself invited. From the corner of my eyes, I saw her glancing at my laptop, probably curious herself as to what I was reading. I leaned back on the couch, rubbing my eyes. The last thing I need right now is the sandman interfering with me. 

"So this is the monkey wrench that cut our play date short."

"Unfortunately," I mumbled, my eyes steady on the screen. "It would have been nice for it to have been longer."

She suddenly placed her hand on my arm. "Thank you. For everything today. It's been a rare occasion to have a pleasant time with a man who doesn't stalk me under the veil of 'journalism.' Or has an evil twin. Or curses at me like a foul-mouth Italian."

"I try to do my best to be normal."

The loft was quiet for a while after that. No one, but the TV talking, albeit low, uttered a word or sound until Bayonetta interrupted the still air, an annoyed "ugh" escaping her lips. "When is this English class over with?"

"I don't know," A yawn escaped me. 23:19. "I have 287 pages...left."

"You'd best hurry and finish quick, Sleeping Beauty." She rose from the couch and headed towards the stairs. "I have a present waiting for you."

"Easier said than done," I closed my eyes to take a quick break. This was a problem. My eyesight was starting to get hazy. "I'm not going anywhere until this damn document is finished..." When I turned my head to see Bayonetta, all I could see was white and pink speckles from the flamingo shirt she was wearing. Everything else was blurring more and more. 

"You look finished," she quipped, her footsteps becoming more audible as I saw pink specks approach me. "Come to bed. Don't worry about the document."

"You can have the bed for the night," I offered. "I'll sleep on the couch."

"As tired as you're getting, do you really want to wake up feeling there's a dagger in your lower back because of the couch? I know you're not the Boogeyman, you're not going to bite me. Come upstairs when you finish."

Another yawn interrupted. "By 6:00. I have work at 8:00."

She reached towards the back of her head and pulled out a silver bracelet that appeared to be two hands gripping the face of a clock watch. She placed it on her wrist. "In the meantime, I'm going to make a call to a friend back home."

"Good night, Bayonetta," I shot a smile that probably looked goofy the more tired I got.

As she went up the stairs, I checked the time. 23:30. The groan I let out was so long, I was convinced it was my soul crying. I continue reading. Thankfully, more diagrams were starting to appear. And a few list of city codes to keep in mind when building structures. I was at page 247 now. At this point, all I'm going to do is keep shooting myself in the foot if I look at the time. Might as well keep going. Every now and then, I heard giggles from the top every now and then from the Umbra Witch and words occasionally when she gets excited. After what seemed like an eternity of endless reading, I finally made it to the end of page 462. Reading the last sentence of the document, I sprang up in jubilee, groggily cheering myself up. I quietly returned to my seat, made sure the notes I typed to the side of the document were saved to bring up as talking points, and excitedly turn my laptop off. A long despairing sigh shot out of my body as I sat back on the couch. Do I dare check the time. Do I want to check the time? Why not since I'm finally done. I looked at my watch to notice it was...23:35. TWENTY-THREE THIRTY-FIVE?!

"What the fuck?" slipped out as I wondered....did I use Light Speed subconsciously? Shit. Fuck it at this point. I searched immediately for the stairs, ready to turn in for the night. I unbuckled the dress pants I was still wearing and threw them into the laundry basket. Perfect shot. As I made it up to my bedroom, Bayonetta was still on the phone, laying in the center of the bed, until she heard my footsteps. 

"Talk to you tomorrow, _John_." She ended the call.

"John? Who is John, last month's boyfriend?" I poked.

"Not John. _Jeanne_. She's my closest friend. I was catching her up with my adventures here."

A dry "Ah." leaves me as I grab the cord to place my cellphone on the charger. 

"Did you finish?"

"I did. I'm still dumbfounded at how the living hell it's not 0:00 yet."

"Because of this," she held the bracelet she slipped on towards me. "It's a bracelet that allows me to...slow down time more than I usually can. Although Rodin is going to be upset I haven't returned it to him yet."

Ah, so she used Witch Time...I stretched my arms, releasing some tension, "Which side are you sleeping on?"

She smirked before inching towards the edge of the bed near me and stood up. "Ah yes. We can decide that after I give you the present."

She strolled towards me, her hands snaking from my pelvis to my shoulders, and leaned up to kiss me. Usually my mind is all over the place the more I'm groggy, but that shot me wide awake. Before I could say anything, her tongue cut me off before she nibbled on my bottom lip. "Let's have some fun, Sigurd."

Wait, she said my name. I was still in the process of realizing she didn't call me Flamingo before I was suddenly led to the bed and gently pushed, my back landing on it. I stared up at the Umbra Witch who had a hazy look in her eyes. It was different from the ones I got from random ladies on the street. Those were usually ravenous and insatiable. Bayonetta's on the other hand...this was of her own doing. For a very attractive woman, I was well aware I was not a necessity to her. And after whatever happens tonight, I would still just be a minor acquaintance within her realm of life. She wasn't doing this out of desire. This was done for enjoyment. This was done with the hopes of a few strings would be attached. This was done to see if the flower would blossom or continue to stay as a bud. My waist started to feel heavy as she climbed on top of me. A trail of kisses up my neck followed soon after, her glasses appearing in my view as she left kisses on my jaw. Shortly before I knew, her lips hovered above mine, the both of us meeting eye to eye. In the amount of time all of this affection happened, I've still been having a hard time accepting it. All my body could do is freeze. Her eyes searched for a sign the more regret started to settle in hers, but all I had were question marks. She broke the silence, "I knew I shouldn't have done this." 

I grabbed her waist, pulling her towards me, when she began to retreat. Her eyes were still doubting whether she wanted to go through with her advances. "I'm just...taken aback. And tired. But mostly taken aback. And uhh...well, tired." I take a deep breath to calm my nerves. "What I'm trying to say is, you caught me by surprise. And I'm nervous because...I really do like you, Bayonetta. I just...don't want to fuck things up."

A smile flashed across her face before she leaned in, the tip of our noses touching. "If you really like me...call me Cereza."

I return the smile. "I really like you. Cereza."

Our lips danced with one another, and the longer they danced, the hotter the passion rose. My lips moved from hers to licking and sucking on the nape of her neck gently, her gleeful moans encouraging me. I rose from the bed, carrying her in one arm while her legs stay straddled to my hips, and flipped us over, switching positions. I looked down to see she had ripped my tanktop in half, straight down the middle. 

"Oops. Heat of the moment." 

I took it off and threw it behind me. "You're going to have to pay for property damages."

"I think I have the funds for that," she said before unbuttoning the flamingo shirt, exposing her breasts before meeting my lips yet again. I returned the bouquet of kisses to her by slowly drifting from her mouth to her neck to her left breast. My tongue ran in a ring around her areola, stopping only to suck slowly on her nipple. Every suck had an encore of moans following shortly after. Her next moan were actual words, "Go down. Taste me."

"Go down and taste me..." I teased, running my tongue down to her stomach this time and left small kisses there.

"Sigurd..." She moaned with a slight tinge of discontent. "Now."

"Now.....what?" my head lowered to her bikini line, nibbling the skin there until I got the right answer. 

"Please. Please. Eat me now."

"Yes, my queen." I lifted her off the bed and placed her in between the pillows. Now, we weren't hanging off the bed. Now, I could get comfortable. I lifted her legs, clasped by both of my arms, and kissed around her inner thighs, inching closer and closer towards end of the rainbow. I could feel her body shake in anticipation the closer I got. The moment I met eye to eye with the honey pot, I let out a long exhale, my breath making her body scoot closer to the source in impatience. I followed the trail of her labia with my lips, occasionally teasing with a nibble that made her jerk more and more. As my tongue got closer inside, her hands started patrolling my hair, seeking to guide me.

"Mmm..." she started to slowly grind her pussy on me. She was getting more and more ready. Which meant, it was time to move towards her clitoris. And that put her on high alert. As I sucked on it, her moans got louder and louder, her body more active. Some locks of my hair felt tugs every now and then. The strong, callous voice she usually talked to everyone in was now begging, pleading, and longing to be pleasured. As I looked ahead of me, her pussy was starting to look glossy. She was getting wet. When I lifted my head to check up on her, her face was the most relaxed I've ever seen it. Like she cared about nothing outside right now. She didn't care if angels in Purgatorio invaded us, she didn't care if she were to be pulled into the deepest depths of Inferno. All that mattered was this moment. All that mattered was this moment of pleasure. When her eyes noticed me, one of her fingers directed me to come closer to her. So I did. I waited for her response in the midst of her small pants. Her hands grabbed the sides of my face and plunged me close enough to feel the warmth coming from her breaths. She spoke in a whisper while pulling my trunks down, "Fuck me like you need me. Make me forget I'm a witch."

A request like that got me harder. I leaned off the bed to pull out one of the drawers on my nightstand. While my hand fumbled around to find a condom, a small moan escaped me as Cereza hand stroked my penis. Found exactly what I was looking for. I opened the condom, slipping it onto my penis, and rubbed it against her clit. Another "Mmm..." came from her, her teeth holding onto her bottom lip.

"Are you enjoying the exclusive Flamingo massage?" I whispered in her ear before going inside of her. Her hands traveled up and down my back once I began pumping, my pelvis entering and exiting on audible cue I heard coming from Cereza. The louder she got, the faster I picked up the pace. And now I was starting to feel the heat down below. It felt comforting, soothing. Like a warm blanket in the middle of a white Christmas. I wanted more of it, so the deeper I went in. Before I realized, I started to moan right in her ear which seemed to only make a laugh drunk off lust escape from her lips. 

"Are you enjoying me?" A bite on my ear followed. "Because this is only round one. Now it's my turn."

I rose up, my pelvis slowing to a halt and pulled out of her. She rose right after, throwing her arms around my neck, and pushed all her weight towards me, making me fall back. She was back to straddling me, but this time, her eyes harboring that hazy look. Suddenly, a portal opened next to her and she stuck her arm through it, pulling out two pairs of handcuffs and. My eyes slightly narrow at the situation before me as she put one pair around my ankles. 

"Now it's time to have some fun," she gracefully leaped off the bed, walking to the end of it where she stood over me upside down. Straight away, I heard the clicks of the handcuffs locking in place around both of my wrists. Her face got closer as she squatted down before she placed a peck on my nose, rubbing my shoulders. "Give me a word."

"What?"

"A word for when you want me to stop. A safe word."

I didn't know what to pick. "Anything?" She nods. It would be redundant to stick with stop. Why not the color of a traffic light? "Red."

She summoned another portal and stuck her arm in it again. This time, she pulled a whip before walking to the right side of the bed. One more portal appeared, and it was a wooden horse. All of a sudden, my body was lifted and placed onto the horse. A yelp shot out from my chest after being placed on the horse's mane made of ridges. Cereza walked past me and the link holding together the handcuffs on my arm felt pinned. I tried to slide the chainlink back up, but the horse's nose kept blocking it off. She then walked towards the link around my feet and dragged it underneath the horse's tail. My eyes were looking all over the place trying to process what the fuck is about to happen while Cereza stared at me with the smile of a demon. "Now, my little birdie. Let's have a quick chat."

"But....."

"Shut up. You don't talk unless I say you can talk. You don't do anything unless you have my permission. Got it, flamingo?"

I looked at her confused. 

"You can talk."

"Yes."

"Now...I understand you're new to this. So I'll be good. Any and everything I say from here on out, don't take it to heart. Just relax and live in the moment. Got it?"

I was still confused, but for now I'll play along by waiting for her to tell me when to speak.

"Talk."

"I understand."

"You catch on quick," she walked closer to me, pecking her lips on my cheek. She began strolling around my tied body, appearing and disappearing from my peripheral vision. "Now...I again wonder how can a man with such looks, prominence, and stature as yours not have a girlfriend or partner all this time. But as I observed you all day today, now I've figured out why. Inside of you is nothing but a sheltered little boy."

"What are yo-" _CRACK!_ My body flinched at the heat I felt on my shoulder. 

"Did I tell you to talk? You should really mind your manners, boy."

"You're insa-" another _CRACK_ fills the air, hitting the same spot. I bit my bottom lip to bare the pain.

"Have anything else to say?"

I stayed quiet. 

"How does it feel to be less than a man? You parade yourself as a fancy lawyer, but it's nothing but a mere shell. A shell of what you believe you should be, not what you really want to be."

Those words cut deep. Before I could realize, my breathing grew shakier as I tried to hold back the anger. She doesn't really mean it, Sigurd. She doesn't know anything. She's just trying to get in your he--

"Give up the gentleman charade. At the end of it all, you're just a sad little boy lost in a world that never cared about you no matter how many airs you attempt to put on. You're lonely not because you choose to be. But because nobody wanted to choose you."

I almost thought I was close to biting my bottom lip off the more I heard her speak. But I did not want to get punished again. I hung my head low in shame and in frustration. 

My head was yanked back up, her silver eyes staring into my soul. "Don't try to hide from it. It hurts, doesn't it? Doesn't it?" I didn't answer. Suddenly, a sharp sting landed on my right thigh, the pain unleashing a bellowing cry. "Talk to me, boy."

"Fuck you!"

_CRACK!_

Another lash landed on the same thigh, my body twitching, desperate to get away. I had no response but to continue panting.

Suddenly, she walked to the side of the bed and picked up her pink laced panties. "This birdie has such the foul mouth. We should do something about that," she said before shoving the pink fabric into my mouth. "That'll shut you up." She continued on, and with each word, the more I grew quiet. That is, until she fondled my slightly red thigh, whispering in my ear, "No need to worry because I am here. I'm here to make your life better. Stronger. You need me. The pleasure you will receive is because I allow it. Be thankful that I allowed you to fuck me tonight. Thank me."

"Thank you," the words spewed from me on their own. 

A smirk cut across her face before her hands stopped rubbing my thighs and slithered towards my penis. Her warm hands provided much comfort to my skin, exposed from the overextended stay of being bare naked. It was a feeling that made a relaxing sigh come from my lips. As her cupped hand moved up and down, a "fuck" slipped through my mouth as hers made contact with it. Her mouth was moist and hot, that the more I drove my pelvis into her mouth, the more audible I got. My dick tingled more and more. It was almost here. "I'm about to come."

And right as I almost released, the moist sensation went away. My squinted eyes opened themselves to see Cereza standing away, smirking at me with her back turned against the horse. In an instant, 

_CRACK!_

across my chest, making me scream in agony before lifting her leg and placing it over me, her red bottom heel catching in place on the back of the horse's ear.

"You thought you were going to cum before I did? Like I said earlier, you'll cum when I want you to cum. Until then, make me come," Right after, she smashed her labia against my face, rubbing against my mouth and nose. She was still wet from earlier, so I slipped my tongue as deep as I could into her g-spot, pressing it as hard as I could. The more force I added, the more verbal she got and the more her pelvis wiggled. I didn't need to pay attention to the moans that were practically shouting from her at this point because a little bit of her honey landing into my mouth notified me that her time was quickly approaching. Feeling her shudder, she engulfed my face within her thigh, her hands still pressing my head into her. Her pelvis slowing to an eventual stop let me know she was coming down and calming down.

After she removed herself from my face, she picked me up from off the horse and threw me onto the bed. Oh, how the bed felt marvelous after having my back pressed into this damn horse for 20 minutes. Her eyes scanned me from head to toe, her tongue sliding across her lips in hunger when she stopped at my pelvis. "We're almost at the end, my little birdie. Just one more item is needed." One last portal was summoned, and from it emerged a strap-on with a black spiked dildo attached. No, no, no, no. Fuck no. I retracted my legs to where my calves guarded my holy relic. I felt her trying to break my hold with her hands, but I was determined. That is, until another crack filled the air.

"GRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH," I yelled into the panties in my mouth.

My legs were separated to show Cereza and her devilish grin staring deep into my soul. "Are you ready to be made into a man?"

I took sharp breaths before I blocked off my hole again. She pushed me over, my face planted in the bedsheet, ass in the air, and the next thing I felt was very rough edges penetrating inside my body. I screamed bloody murder into the panties the deeper she pumped. She then pinned down my wrists, and sped up her pace, making me grunt in rhythm. As I turned to look at her, her eyes continued to stare at me ever so threatening. It was like a starving wolf staring down an antelope. It was surreal to see. about 30 minutes ago, I was the one in control. I was the one whose body she was begging for. Now, I felt like I was in hell. My body sprang into the air like a troubled horse as I could feel the shaft of the dildo. She leaned into my ear, whispering "Be a good little boy and ride me" before sliding her arms to the back of my neck, putting me in a full nelson, and threw her weight back. I saw the skylight I had placed upon the ceiling of my loft. A full moon shined upon us, like a spotlight as I was in a reverse cowgirl. Her moist breath startled my ears, "You're so tight down there. Relax, my little birdie. Let me take control of you. Relax." 

She kept repeating "Relax" in my ear over and over....and over. And over. Relax...relax. I let go of all feeling in my body, resting on Cereza. As she kept pushing in and out of me, a grunt escaped me every now and then in pleasure. As I sat with my eyes closed, I felt kisses up and down my shoulder and neck. "See? That's all you had to do, baby. Do you want your reward now?" I waited for her command. "You may now speak."

"Yes," I took in a sharp breath as I felt my right nipple getting sucked. "Please."

"How bad do you want it?"

"....."

"Speak."

"Now. Please."

"Good boy. See what you get when you're obedient?" One of her hands traveled down from my chest to my dick and grabbed a hold of it as she continued penetrating me. Every pump she took inside of me was matched with her tugging my dick. Profanity after profanity left my lips in elation at the warm tingling sensation that was present earlier. It was arriving again, and my pelvis was getting more impatient as I joined her cadence. I tried holding it back as much as I could, but it was getting harder and harder. 

"Come for me," she commanded, licking my earlobe. 

It came rushing out of me like a volcano erupting. I let a long cry ring from the depths of my soul at the euphoria that rushed throughout my body and onto my chest. My dick slowly kept pushing itself within Cereza's clench, loving the tight ring it formed. It felt invigorating until I eventually stopped. My backside also felt unclogged as my back could now feel the satin covers on my bed instead of hot naked skin.

"My...you seemed to enjoyed yourself an awful lot at the end, my little birdie," the shackles around my hands fell off. She walked towards my feet and one by one, taking the handcuffs off them as well. It felt....odd being freed. I sat up, noticing the loads of my own ejaculation stuck to my chest. I didn't know what to say. Or how to feel. I didn't know if I was still allowed to talk or wait until given permission. I watched Cereza sit on the side of the bed, with a piece of tissue in her hand. She wiped it across my chest, cleaning up the semen. "Did you have fun?"

I said nothing. 

She chuckled. "It's okay Sigurd. You can talk. We're done."

Like that? I looked at her confused. She placed a hand upon my face. "I'm afraid the cat really does have your tongue. No more roleplaying, Sigurd. That's the end. I'm not going to hit you."

And like a switch, my mind slowly realized everything was back to normal. We were back in my house. Just us two. I was suddenly sitting on the edge of the bed and I exhaled a deep sigh. "You're fucking scary. I don't ever want to do that again."

"That's what they all say," she came from behind, wrapping her arms around my waist and left comforting kisses on the back of my neck, "But you'll never resist the second time. Or the third time. Or any more after that. You should really get into it. It's quite...therapeutic."

"After what I went through tonight...I don't know."

She snuggled her nose against me, "You did great, little birdie. Next time, I'll be more gentle."

"If there is a next time," I muttered.

"Oh, there will be a next time. Until then," I heard the covers ruffle behind me, my neck turning to see Cereza getting underneath the bed covers. "Join me for a little pillow talk."

I walked towards the lights, turning them off. The only lighting we had was from the moon above. As I climbed into the covers, Cereza rolled over, placing her hand on my chest. I grabbed it, kissing its backpalm. "I suppose you're going to go to my meeting for me tomorrow? Wasn't expecting to lose an hour of sleep being naughty."

She raised an eyebrow. "An hour? Check the time."

I rolled over to check the time on my phone. 23: 45?! I looked back at her, flabbergasted.

"Don't forget: you fucked with a witch."

I squirmed my arm around her waist, pulling her closer. "I don't think I'll be forgetting that anytime soon. I've never had such a magical night until now."

She smiled. "You falling in love with me?"

"Yes," I replied without hesitation. 

"Well. Don't think you've won my heart yet."

"Always the hardball, aren't you?"

"It's all about the chase. I have to keep you on your toes, Flam--Sigurd."

"Ah," now a smile came across my face. "So you do know my name."

I stared at the moon smiling upon us. Tonight was quite an eventful night. Cereza broke the air. "Remember what I told you back in Noatun?"

A "Hmm?" slipped through my mouth.

"The song I was going to help you replace that other dreadful mess with."

My memory jogged itself. "Ah, yes. The ever so romantic 'Loneliness is a cloak you wear.'"

"Ugh, not that again."

I gently pecked her. "You got something better?"

She paused, looking up. I joined her in staring at the moon and the stars winking back at us. "As cheesy as it sounds...... _Moon River, wider than a mile._ "

I added along, " _I'm crossing you in style. Someday._ "

" _Oh, dream maker._ "

I scooted closer, getting lost into her eyes, " _You heart breaker._ "

" _Wherever you're going, I'm going your way,_ " my eyes slowly drifted into the darkness while I heard, " _Two drifters, off to see the world. There's such a lot of world to see._ "

The next time I opened my eyes, the sun was greeting me. I looked over to a vacant spot in my bed. Did she leave? 

"Cereza?" I called, hearing a slight echo. No response. I knocked the covers back to pick up my phone. 06:40. An annoyed groan shared my discontent of having to get ready for work. As I stood from my bed, a slip of paper fell off my chest and onto the floor. I looked down to see I was still naked. Well, at least I could just jump into the shower. Picking up the paper, I read the contents while on my way to the bathroom:

_Wish I could stay one more day, but trouble is rumbling back in Switzerland, according to Jeanne, so I have to return home to squash some holy buggers. I want to see you again. Winter is the perfect time for flamingos to fly south. Fly to me, my little flamingo. Let's dance some more in between the covers~_

_~ Cereza_

I kept the note in my pocket. When I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror, I noticed a red lipstick kiss on the side of my cheek Cereza laid on. I think I had enough inspiration to finish that song:

_"We're after the same rainbow's end_

_Waiting 'round the bend_

_My huckleberry friend_

_Moon river and me"_


End file.
